A Mello Winter
by Prince-san
Summary: The orphaned foreigner from England has his luck turn around when he's invited to spend the winter with Sayu Yagami.
1. Café Girls Are The Sweetest

**"A Mello Winter" – Kiba Inubake**

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Haha, it feels good to be writing again! Especially something different than what I usually write about. Anyway, I hope you like it!

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**Chapter 1: "Café Girls Are The Sweetest"**

It was a blisteringly cold day in the western Kanto region of Japan. Snow whipped about as people hustled to get into a building or into their cars, longing for warmth. However, there were a few people who didn't seem to mind the dry, frigid air; more like they were enjoying their time out in the flurries, actually. Some could be seen frolicking off to the side, picking up snow and throwing it at their companion. In particular, a foreigner was walking along the bustling streets of Tokyo. His blond hair made him stand out in the field of Asians.

"God damn it, where is she?!" A heavy-set glasses geek yelled. He wasn't with anyone, so it's assumed the madcap was talking to himself. "My mom was supposed to pick me up half an hour ago!" The ironic thing was that he must've been in his 20s, yet he still relied on his mother to drive him around.

The foreigner passed by the fool, irritated at his childish behavior in public. _'Fucking idiot,'_ he thought as he decided whether he should spit on the guy or not. He proceeded to pulling a chocolate bar out of his red coat pocket. Chocolate was to him what a cigarette is to a smoker; chocolate always helped him calm down and keep a leveled head. He was about to unwrap his chocolate bar, but noticed he was about to pass by a café, so he put it in his pocket and took a step inside.

The little shop didn't have too much business—at least, not compared to how it was a few short hours ago. A few people were there, but other than their business the place was empty. It seemed like the place was a breath of fresh air to the foreigner. He bathed in the heat of the café, inhaling the scent of coffee—and even better, chocolate.

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"…All right, is this all, sir?" A cashier asked the foreigner.

"Yeah," he replied. "I just need something to keep me going…" He reached into his pocket and handed over 250 yen. Taking his mocha in his right hand, he turned around and walked over to the other side of the café and sat down on a black leather couch, similar to the leather outfit he wore.

A cute, young girl stood next to the foreigner. She looked about his age. She bent down, toward him, and asked, "Do you mind if I sit here?"

"Go ahead," he said apathetically. The couch bounced as she hopped onto it.

"Thank you!" She responded cheerfully. "So what's your name?"

The foreigner hesitated. "…M…my name?" He choked out. She nodded, not seeming to notice his pause. "…You can call me Mello."

"Oh, Mello? That's a cool name!" She said optimistically. "Is it a nickname, or is it your real name?"

"It's a nickname," he said without thinking. He then noticed his error. "…Uh, but it's what everyone knows me as," he quickly corrected. "So, uh, please address me by Mello."

The girl looked confused, but she accepted his secretive behavior. "Okay then, Mello. My name's Sayu Yagami," she told him. "I don't have any nicknames," she said, laughing.

Mello forced himself to laugh, although he failed miserably at making it sound genuine.

"So are you from around here, or are you traveling? We don't see many blondes around here," Sayu pointed out, laughing affably.

Mello didn't return the laugh. "No, I came from London…but that was a while back."

"Ooh, from Europe? Wow, how nice!" Sayu complimented. She smiled, but then took a step back. "…Wait, did you say 'a while back'?"

Mello nodded. "Yeah. I came from an orphanage, but I left it when I was 15—two years ago."

"Oh…" Sayu responded despondently. "So, why did you leave? I mean, did it burn down or something?"

"No, it didn't burn down…" Mello replied, trying to hide his frustration in the form of a vein from pulsing out of his forehead. "I just left because I was tired of being compared to this other guy, Near," he explained. "Wammy's House is an orphanage for geniuses, and the smartest kid there will take over as L—you know, one of the three greatest detectives alive."

"L…? I think I've heard of him from my father before… He's the deputy director of the NPA, the Japanese police," Sayu told him. She then returned to the discussion of Wammy's House. "So you left just because of competition?"

"You don't get it…" Mello sighed. He pushed his bangs out of his face. "But, enough about that…"

"All right," Sayu allowed. She tried to continue the conversation. "So, if you left two years ago, where've you been living?" Sayu asked.

"I've been traveling from place to place… I spent most of my time in America; I just recently came here," Mello explained.

A look of surprise came across Sayu's face. "Where have you been staying overnight all these years?"

Mello looked down. "…I'd rather not say."

"…Oh… Okay…" Sayu said. "…Hey… It's almost Christmas time, so…well, do you need a place to stay at for a while?"

Mello's attention was caught. "Do I _need_ a place to stay? …Yeah, I do, actually…" He admitted. "But I don't want to impose; I mean, I'm pretty much a total stranger to you, aren't I?"

Sayu smiled sweetly. "You're a good person, Mello… I can feel it."

"So, where exactly are you going with this…?" He asked her.

"Why don't you spend the holidays with us?" She offered. "If anyone asks, we can say you're my boyfriend." Thought in her plan was clearly not evident; even Mello could see that.

"Yeah…see, I don't think that's a very good idea," Mello pointed out. "You live with your family, don't you? Is your father _really_ gonna want his daughter's _boyfriend_ sleeping over?"

Sayu paused. It took her a moment to realize the flaw Mello had shown her. "…You're right…" She rested her chin on her hand, thinking of a way to counter her father's approval. "…I've got it! We can say I found you homeless on the streets! That tattered-up coat of yours won't have anyone disbelieving that!"

Mello closed his eyes in frustration. "I'm not going to let you say I'm homeless…!"

"But aren't you?"

"…" Mello was silent. After a long pause, he sighed, "Let's go…" **–End of Chapter!

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Since I'm in a good mood, I'll give you a little preview of the following chapters. ^^ First, Sayu will introduce Mello to her family. Then, Mello and Light will have a friendly competition (that's a secret 'til later, though). Which brings me to my next point: Should I put Ryuk in this story? I want to without making Light pose as Kira, but I think that's going to be a problem. I was thinking maybe I'll have Ryuk attached to Light without Light actually killing any criminals in this story, but being Kira changed his personality slightly. Sigh, what to do...? Help me decide and review, please. (This includes you too, Saphy.)


	2. The Runner Up Heir

**"A Mello Winter" – Kiba Inubake**

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I updated quickly! ^^ This chapter's a bit fluffier, and longer, too. Hope you like it!

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**Chapter 2: "The Runner-Up Heir"**

Mello was led by his new beautiful companion down a snowy trail leading to her house. It was one of Sayu's interests, to explore the area and discover new off-map routes. The snow they trudged through made Mello shiver. A ripped red coat and tight leather clothes don't exactly insulate very well, Mello realized. The occasional ice tended to interfere with his ego; he almost slipped a few times. The _last_ thing Mello wanted to do right now was to faceplant the bone-chilling snow beneath him.

Mello and Sayu were both pretty light. But the biggest difference between them was that Sayu could bounce atop the snow because she was so light for her age; while Mello simply fell through the ankle-high, frostbite-inducing toxin.

Once again, Mello had taken a wrong step. He touched a patch of ice and immediately lost his balance. "Agh…!" Mello cried as he was about to fall face-first into the snow. He stopped in mid-air for some reason, which perplexed him. He looked up to see Sayu's face giggling at him.

"You're not very lucky, Mello!" Sayu laughed.

Mello grumbled, "Tell me about it…" He then stepped onto what he first made sure was not ice. "It's not like it's the first time I've been screwed over," he muttered.

"Oh, come on, Mello, it's not a big deal!" Sayu reassured. "Everyone gets a little unlucky some days."

"Not like me, they haven't…" He pouted. Mello sighed, taking out the chocolate bar he had on him since the encounter at the café. He unwrapped it and crunched into it.

Sayu stared at the snack in his hand. "Do you always carry around chocolate with you?" She asked him.

Mello turned his head to her. "Yeah, I always keep at least one bar on me." He licked the top of his food.

"What for? Eating too much chocolate isn't good for you, Mello," Sayu stated.

"You sound just like the other kids at the orphanage," Mello said in an aggravated tone. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down.

"O…okay," Sayu said in a soft voice. Mello looked over at her.

"…Do you want some?" He asked. He felt bad about losing his cool and snapping at her.

Sayu looked puzzled. "Huh?"

"My chocolate," Mello said. "Do you want some? I feel…I don't know… I…I just feel kind of bad," he explained.

Sayu's face lit up. She was elated to hear that from him. "Oh, Mello…!" She ran through the snow and threw her arms around him.

'_What is she doing…?'_ Mello wondered. _'All I did was apologize…'_

Sayu let go of him after a couple seconds. It would seem as if she were falling for him. But then again, what's not to like about him? He's a genius foreigner, good-looking, has a good sense of style (for what he can afford, anyway)… He's everything a normal girl without high expectations would love. "Sure, I'll have a bit, if it makes you feel better," Sayu replied cheerfully.

Mello broke off a decent-sized piece from the opposite end of the bar. "Here, try some. It's a kind they make in England," Mello said, handing her the chocolate.

Sayu bit into her treat. It was hard and cold, and it chilled the roof of her mouth, but it was so rich and flavorful that she didn't care. "Mmm…! This is delicious, Mello!" She exclaimed. "I can see why you'd carry this around with you!" Sayu joked.

"Yeah," Mello simply replied. The walk to her house was almost completely silent, save for a few moments where Sayu would make a pass on Mello, who would obliviously miss them. He may be a genius, but he's clueless when it comes to infatuation.

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Sayu and Mello had finally reached a normal street. Their journey through the white fields and snow-covered trees had come to a close, and so had the majority of the trip.

"Just a few houses more, Mello!" Sayu informed happily.

'_I can't wait to see this explode in my face…'_ Mello cynically thought. _'Ugh, I'm not gonna be staying with anyone this season, either…'_ Mello was not in the best of moods. Having everything turn out in the worst possible way for him had turned him into a pessimist. But it wasn't his fault. He tried his best, but he just couldn't get a lucky break.

"Okay, Mello! Come on in!" Sayu called. She was already at her front porch, holding the door open for her guest.

Mello took a step inside, and received a gaze from whom he would assume to be Sayu's older brother.

"Hey, I'm Light," he greeted. "Are you a friend of Sayu's?"

Mello nodded, and returned the greeting. "Yeah, I guess I am," he replied.

"Light, this is Mello!" Sayu exclaimed, hopping over playfully. "He's from Europe! We met down at that corner coffee shop in Aoyama," Sayu explained.

"You walked all the way down to Aoyama?" Light asked. "That's a fifteen-minute drive from here."

"I had nothing going on today," Sayu responded. "All my friends were busy, but it was so nice out. I decided to take a trip down there."

"Well, all right, but that's dangerous, Sayu," Light said, concerned.

"I know, I know!" Sayu said. He was speaking to her as if he were her mom. She looked over at Mello using her peripherals, and then reaffixed her gaze toward her brother. "By the way, do you know where Mom and Dad are?"

"Hm? Mom's making dinner, and Dad's watching the news," he answered.

"Thank you, Light!" Sayu bounded off, dragging Mello along with her.

Mello was led into the kitchen. Sayu's mother turned around to greet her daughter—and also their surprise guest. "Welcome back, Sayu," Sachiko said. "Oh, who's this?"

"You can call me Mello," he answered. "Nice to meet you," he lied. Honestly, he didn't care whether he met Sachiko or not.

"It's very nice to meet you, too, Mello," Sachiko smiled. "Soichiro, come over here!" She called to her husband.

"What is it, Sachi—oh, hello. I'm Sayu's father; you can call me Mr. Yagami," Soichiro introduced himself.

"Hi, I'm Mello."

"Is it okay if Mello has dinner with us?" Sayu asked her parents.

"Huh?" Soichiro and Sachiko exchanged glances. "Sure, Sayu," her father approved.

"Thank you, Daddy!" She hugged him.

"It's no problem, sweetheart," he said.

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Later that evening, Mello helped set the table. Sachiko came into the kitchen to witness this scene. "Mello, you're setting the table? We didn't ask you to do that, though," she said in a puzzled voice.

"I just thought that since you're letting me stay over on short notice, I could help out a bit," Mello explained. "Sayu showed me where all the silverware was."

"Oh, that's so kind of you, Mello," Sachiko complimented. "Thank you, and you're very welcome."

Minutes later, everyone arrived in the kitchen. Soichiro was seated at the head of the table; Light was seated across at the other end; Sayu and Sachiko sat next to each other; and Mello sat on the left side of the table in between Soichiro and Light.

"So, Mello, Sayu told me you were traveling around a bit. Do you like Japan so far?" Light asked.

Mello glanced over at Sayu, who was just smiling affably as usual. "Yeah, it's a nice country. Way different than England and America," Mello answered.

Soichiro's interest was piqued. He set down his fork to focus on the conversation. "You've been to England _and_ America?"

"Yeah, by myself. I was in an orphanage until I was 15," Mello elaborated, "but I left to go pursue Kira. I've been traveling around to find some leads, but so far I haven't found out much."

"Wait, you're looking into the Kira case? Maybe you could help out with the investigation," Soichiro suggested. "We need some more help. Maybe L would consider letting you join the task force?" He glanced over to Light for a split-second.

"Dad, I think you might be getting a bit carried away," Light said. "We just met him."

"Did I mention I was one of the smartest kids at Wammy's House?" Mello brought up. Soichiro and Light gasped.

"You mean you're L's heir?!" Soichiro exclaimed.

"Well…no, not exactly…" Mello said, clenching his teeth and fists. "I'm the runner-up. And I know L died two years ago," Mello mentioned, which shocked the two Yagami men. "So who took over?"

Soichiro and Light were at a loss of what to say. "…We can't tell you, unless you join us," Light boldly stated.

"Okay, I guess I could work with you," Mello said. _'If it'll get me ahead of Near, then I'll do it.'_ **–End of Chapter

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I wouldn't say it's the most interesting chapter, but it is crucial to the story, to include these conversations in the chapter. You'll know what I mean next chapter if you don't already... Review, please.


	3. Impression

**"A Mello Winter" – Kiba Inubake**

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Hey, thanks for reading my _Death Note_ fic. ^^

It's a short chapter this time, yes, but it's all I could do right now. So I figured something short now would be better than something big later. I'll get chapter 4 up soon; for those of you who have been reading since the first night it was put on the site, you know I'll be updating this particular story soon. Unlike my other stories, which are going to be at least 20 chapters (one has already exceeded that), this is a story I don't want to make too long, and one which I plan to get through quickly. After all, it's better to focus on one thing than to work on everything and update slowly. I won't make that mistake again, haha. But anyway, enough of my ranting; please enjoy the exciting cliffhanger that is chapter 3! [/dodges bullets]

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**Chapter 3: "Impression"**

Mello had just agreed to work with the Yagami men and the rest of the taskforce on the Kira case. His mind was racing with the thought of succeeding L in place of Near. An inferiority complex can drive a man to do some foolish things, yes; but the end result justifies the means. This was Mello's thought process.

"Daddy," said Sayu, feigning a sweeter voice than usual, "I have something else I want to ask you. Can Mello spend Christmas with us?"

Soichiro's knife fell to the ground, luckily missing his foot by an inch. "W-what? Where's this coming from?"

"Remember how Mello said he left the orphanage two years ago?" Sayu brought up. "He's been living without a house ever since then," she said, intentionally making her voice sound sadder. "He's going to be alone on Christmas, Daddy…!" She faked a tear.

"I honestly don't care what you decide, Mr. Yagami," Mello intervened. "I live in solitude, anyway. It's not like another season would hurt me…" Although Mello didn't realize it, his voice had a pitch of depression to it. Soichiro empathized with the blond rebel and decided to give him a chance.

"…All right, Mello. You can stay with us for a few days," Soichiro granted. Sayu's face lit up, and she leapt from her seat and embraced her father while repeatedly thanking him.

Mello even showed a smile. "Thank you, Mr. Yagami…Mrs. Yagami," he expressed his gratitude. "I'll try not to be a burden."

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Later that evening, Sayu was in her room looking through a textbook with a glazed look across her eyes. She looked bored; anyone could tell. She was so unenthusiastic, it almost seemed like she could've drooled all over the book and not noticed until she fell asleep on it and woke up four hours later, only to wonder why her face was wet and sticky (and that's what she said).

Meanwhile, Mello had been downstairs discussing the Kira case with Light and Soichiro. However, Soichiro got a call from Matsuda, who was wondering if he wanted to go out for a drink with him, Aizawa, and Ide. After chewing Matsuda out for calling him on his cell phone for such an unimportant matter, he finally agreed when Matsuda said he'd be paying—reluctantly, anyway. Light and Mello were sitting on the couch, discussing other matters, like who was probably the smarter of the two and who could deactivate a bomb the quickest (Mello won that by saying he'd freeze the bomb—which actually is the quickest and safest way to diffuse a time bomb). In fact, all this competitiveness made Mello want to challenge Light to a contest on the spot.

"I have an idea, Light…" Mello formulated a contest in his head on the spot. "Why don't we have an eggnog-drinking contest? We'll have someone keep track of how much we've drunken, and whoever drank more at the end of the time limit wins."

"I like the sound of that," Light admitted, narrowing his gaze. _'Ryuk'll enjoy this…'_

"So who's going to judge?" Mello asked.

"Oh, I think I know someone who might do it…" Light teased. "I'll be right back…" He left the room and ascended the stairs. He turned around the corner, removed the lead from his door hinge, and went inside his room. "…Hey, Ryuk," Light called softly.

A dark Shinigami appeared in front of Light in seconds, coming from the other room. "What's up, Light?"

"Do you want some excitement, Ryuk…?" Light baited.

"Excitement…?" Ryuk repeated. "Sure! What are we talking about here?"

"All you have to do is get a piece of the Death Note to touch the blond kid downstairs," Light explained. "Then you judge an eggnog-drinking contest."

"Eggnog…?" Ryuk repeated.

"It's like milk and alcohol mixed together," Light told him. "It'll be fun. You want to do it, Ryuk…?"

"Heheheheheh, sure, Light!" Ryuk answered giddily. He floated downstairs through the floor, dematerializing his body.

Ryuk levitated into the living room, where he simply tapped Mello with the notebook in his side holster. Immediately, a gothic-looking figure appeared before Mello's eyes. He was startled out of his mind; that's for sure. But after a moment, Mello regained his cool and shook off his surprise. "What are you?" Mello asked out of curiosity. "I know you're not human, so what are you?"

"I'm a Shinigami, kid—a god of death," Ryuk said, poking Mello's leather-covered chest. "I'm going to be judging this contest."

"Wait… You said you're a Shinigami? What are you doing here?" Mello asked.

"Judging the contest, remember?" Ryuk said. "I _**just**_ said it, kid."

"That's not what I meant…" Mello mumbled. He shifted his line of vision to the staircase, which Light was descending. "Anyway, Light, you ready?"

"The eggnog is in the kitchen; come in there with me," Light ordered. Mello rose from the couch and headed for the kitchen. **–End of Chapter

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If you're wondering why Light called on Ryuk to judge...well, actually, I was really tired at the time I wrote that part, and I clearly did not think that through. (Oh, and if it helps clear that up, I didn't write this whole chapter in one day. I just started working on it one day when I was bored, but also a little sleepy. So I tried to get as much done as I could before I started spacing out.) But, no matter! Unlike the original work of art known as _Death Note_, the characters in this fiction won't have such extreme meticulous tendencies; such is the reason why Ryuk has graced us with his appearance and will be making this story even funnier. Please review, and look forward to the next chapter, 'cause you know what's coming up! XD


	4. Fun With Mello

**"A Mello Winter" – Kiba Inubake**

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An alternate name for this chapter could be "Extreme Fluff", if you catch my drift. :3

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**Chapter 4: "Fun With Mello"**

"Ugh… I hate math…" Sayu grumbled lazily. She stood up from her desk. "I need some water…" She proceeded to stumble down to the first floor, paying no heed to the likely danger of her semi-sleepwalking down a flight of stairs. As she lethargically made her way to the kitchen, she rubbed her eyes and noticed the two teenage boys in the house at the other side of the room.

Light and Mello were seated at opposite ends of the kitchen table. They exchanged indomitable glances. The atmosphere was so intense that you could cut it with a knife…somehow.

A wild grin graced Mello's face. "I'm not going to lose, Yagami!" He poured his drink into a glass. Every time they finished a pint, they would refill their cup. It was up to them to get it inside the cup without spilling it, which, looking back on the idea now, was probably not a smart way to conserve eggnog for the competition.

"I don't plan to let you win," replied Light. "You ready yet?"

"Yep," Mello answered. He was about to tell Ryuk to let them start, but he had noticed Sayu and stopped before he said anything. "S-Sayu…" He stammered. He couldn't think of what to say.

Light quickly reclaimed his title as household genius. "Sayu, what are you doing standing over there? If you want to watch, then don't hide and do it."

A moment later after hesitation, Sayu said, "Um…o-okay…" She walked over sleepily to the table, took a chair and sat down.

"All right, this is getting boring," Ryuk intervened. "Go!" Immediately, Light and Mello shot at their glasses, shoving the alcoholic milk down their windpipes.

Sayu wanted to ask what was going on, but at the same time she didn't. So she kept her mouth shut and just watched from her safe distance.

Seven cups later, Mello was starting to feel a little woozy. "Ugh… I won't lose, Yagami…!" He began to slur his words.

"Yeah, well, I, uh…I…uh…ugh…" Light passed out as his head slammed against the table. He was out cold.

Mello would've cheered, but he remembered he still had one more cup to finish before it couldn't be called a tie. To his dismay, he suffered the same fate as his competitor.

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When the two woke up the next morning, Ryuk informed them of the score: 7 pints to 7 pints. To say the least, Mello was not amused.

"What do you mean I didn't win?!" Mello yelled.

Light shook his head. "How can you yell like that…? Don't you have a hangover?"

"I can't suffer things like that," Mello stated. "I have diplomatic immunity."

Light felt inarticulate. He could not even begin to express how stupid he thought Mello's reasoning was.

"Anyway," Ryuk interjected once more, "it's a draw. So what now?"

"…I think we should just get some rest," Light said wearily. "I'm…not normally like this, but I…ugh…" He rubbed his forehead. "Ahh, my head…"

Mello rubbed his chin, stroking an imaginary beard. "I wonder what Sayu's up to…?" He left the room.

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Sayu was lying in her bed, just sleeping in. It was a Thursday morning and she wasn't thrilled at the thought of getting out of her bed on a cold, snowy day during her Winter break.

She sighed, pulling her blanket over her shoulders. Just then, she heard a knock at her door. "It's Mello," called the person she was just thinking about.

Sayu instantly smiled and rolled over to face the door. "Come in!" She said gleefully. Mello opened her door. "Mello, climb in!" She told. "Oh, but lock the door first!"

Mello was confused, but did as she asked. He pulled the blanket up and lied down on the bed. He knew he'd feel a little weird if he put the blanket over him, so he doubled it over Sayu. She put it back over him though, and embraced him.

"Uh, Sayu…? What are you doing…?" Mello asked slowly.

"Oh, nothing!" She said cutely, still clinging onto him. "What did you want to come in for? Was it this you wanted?" She giggled. She was feigning a seductive voice—merely joking with Mello—but that's not how he took it.

"Well…it certainly isn't something I'd pass up, but…" Mello actually admitted. Sayu's mouth opened, surprised and elated.

"Awww!" She cuddled even more, now pressing her entire body against his. In nothing but warm, light pajamas, you could feel a lot of Sayu's body—something Mello refused to admit he liked, but couldn't deny the fact that it was steadily making him want to turn the other direction so she wouldn't be poked by anything unexpectedly—well, actually, in her case it was expected. A study once proved that women are hornier in the morning; the drive for sex is stronger after first waking up than it is after hours—seriously—and now Mello could agree with that.

"Um…Sayu, I just came up because I wanted to see if you were doing anything. That's all," Mello explained.

"Aww, but isn't this more fun?" Sayu captivated him. It didn't seem like she would break it off, so Mello took it upon himself to.

"Sayu, I think—" Mello was interrupted by an unexpected lip lock. Sayu pressed her lips against his, and a moment later Mello didn't resist. **–End of Chapter

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Ahh, fluff. It really makes you wonder if I'm taking this story seriously anymore, doesn't it? Hahahah, no, I'm just really tired right now (as always, when I write my stories). Hmm...I wonder what I should do next chapter...? Review, please! Even non-members are allowed; come on, it's not that hard to press a pretty button and tell me what you thought! ;)


	5. Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This

**"A Mello Winter" – Kiba Inubake**

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Alternate names for this chapter are "The Fluff Thickens" or "The Plot Thinnens". Heh, yes, this chapter is about nothing more than Sayu and Mello's feelings toward each other.

If you notice, in the 4th paragraph, it says Mello's basically dumb when it comes to love. Think back on when Sayu and Mello first met at the café when Mello was on the leather couch. See what I mean?

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**Chapter 5: "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)"**

Mello and Sayu's lips had locked, staying in position for several seconds until finally, Mello reluctantly broke off the kiss to move his lips in a different manner.

"Sayu…" Mello began, "What was that all about?" His confusion was overwhelmed by delight just a moment ago, but his serious nature aided him in the quick restoration of his senses.

The cute brunette grinned playfully, a noticeable blush tinting her cheeks. "I think I like you, Mello. And I want you," the petite Yagami girl giggled.

Mello was taken aback. "You…_want_ me?" He repeated, surprised by the sudden confession. Although honestly, his astonishment was partially due to his apathetic mind when it came to noticing when he was being hit on. To Mello, love wasn't necessary. As heartbreaking as it is, he had never actually felt loved before, so he didn't know how to return the feelings. He never had a family, and knew no relatives. The void in his heart where love should've been was replaced by ambition. But, even Mello could feel now that his heart was beginning to open. To him, it was like coming out of a shadowy realm consumed by eternal darkness, where love was simply a foreign word, never spoken in his dimension. But now it felt like someone was entering his world…entering, and guiding him out of it.

Sayu caressed the side of his face, moving her hand under his hair and rubbing him gently. "Yes, Mello… And…even if it's not for long…I want to be your girlfriend."

Mello's eyes widened. "You want to… R-really? You want to be my girlfriend?"

Sayu closed her eyes, blushed, and nodded. Despite her evident bashfulness, she still clung to a smile.

Mello hesitated before responding. He didn't know how to.

"…Sayu…" She looked up at him. "…Over the past day, I've come to really like you, too. So…I'll be your boyfriend," Mello answered definitively.

Sayu's face lit up. She burst into joy, squeezing him as hard as she could and squealing like a fangirl. "Mello…!!"

With a returning embrace, Mello closed his eyes and smiled. His luck was finally turning around.

* * *

Later that morning, snow began to fall once more. The clock struck 10; morning was almost over, but the day was just beginning. And to commemorate this immaculate day, Sayu made plans for them. She was going to take him on a romantic walk down the tree-lined boulevard at the nearby park. And with fresh snow just beginning to descend, their trip would only be complimented. It was as if nature was on the young lovers' side.

How peaceful that sounds…

Sayu took a decorative wool hat out from her dresser. A small tuft of her hair stuck out from underneath it, giving her an affable air. She peered at her smooth, brown hair hanging just above her eyes. Her lips curved upward, satisfied with her appearance. Finally, she stepped out of her room, and was called to immediately.

"You ready to go?" Mello asked kindly. His blue eyes glittered as they stared into hers. Sayu's world seemed to dissipate, leaving just them.

"Yes, Mello!" She replied cheerfully, despite a blush blanketing her face. She grasped his hand, gave him a peck on the cheek, and walked down the hallway to the stairs with him.

At the bottom of the stairs was the sight of Light lying down on the love seat. He seemed to be resting.

"Light, Mello and I are going to go out for a bit," Sayu told him.

"Okay, have fun," Light said, uninterested. He was still recovering from his previous night of pouring alcohol into his stomach.

Mello and Sayu took a step outside. The cold air chilled them, but they could bear it. Sayu took off and started dancing in the snow-topped street. Mello chuckled, and smiled happily.

Later into their walk, a chilly breeze shocked the two, causing Sayu to shiver. Mello, realizing she'd be cold, took his red coat off and placed it over her. For a tattered jacket, it was surprisingly warm. Sayu hugged Mello for the kind gesture.

"Mello, that's so nice of you!" She said, her left cheek pressed against his leather-covered chest. "But aren't you going to be cold?"

The blond foreigner shook his head. "I'm used to getting by one way or another," he answered. "But anyway," he tried changing the topic, "what did you want to do while we were out?" His leather shined as the bright sun rays bounced off, giving Mello the appearance of a gleaming Aryan.

"Well..." Sayu paused to raise suspense, "…I was thinking we could go down to the park," she suggested. "The snow falls on the pine tree branches so elegantly… It's such a pretty site," she told him giddily.

"Heh, sounds nice," Mello responded. "All right, let's go. Come on, we can't be too far away after all this walking," he pushed her in a joking manner.

And as Mello said, just a few minutes after, they had arrived at the park. Passing a clearing and a wooden sign that read "Koikawa Park", they entered the friendly vicinity.

'_Isn't that ironic…'_ Mello laughed. _'She definitely planned this.'_ Sayu motioned for him to sit down on a bench with her. She had cleaned it of snow first, of course. Mello took a seat and held her close to him.

"If I were to die tomorrow, well…I wouldn't mind it very much," Mello admitted in a confusing manner. This meant he cared more about her than the Kira case; and just a couple days ago, he had cared about it more than his own life. Now he was thinking of someone else, and all because of a simple event. It's honestly amazing how such a little thing can have a huge impact like this. **–End of Chapter

* * *

**

If you were wondering, that sign read "Oceans of Love Park" in English, haha. Corny, I know, but fitting. Also, what would you like to see Mello and Sayu do? I'm going to dedicate the next chapter to their adventures outside as well, so I'll be taking suggestions for ideas until it's uploaded. Don't worry, I won't steal your idea without giving you credit, if you really want it. I'm not like that, believe me. Anyway, tell me what you'd like to see, and we'll see if we can make that happen, okay? ^^


	6. The New Year's Party

**"A Mello Winter" – Kiba Inubake**

* * *

The last chapter... This one skips ahead to New Year's Eve. It would've been better to write more filler chapters, but I need to finish this so I can move onto my other in-progress stories.

I know the presence of L and Mello in the Yagami house at the same time makes no sense whatsoever because Mello wouldn't have left if L hadn't died...but I couldn't just _not_ include Lawliet! He's too amazing to keep out!

Also, I would've included Misa...but I forgot about her. XD

Now all this party needs is Near... Ahahaha!

* * *

**Chapter 6: "The New Year's Party"**

Pretty pink lips curved upward as their bearer was satisfied with her work. Inside the Yagami household, Sayu was decorating the house with multiple colors in preparation for the party that evening. "Aha! I like the look of this! What do you think, Mello?"

"Mmm… Needs more purple," the blond foreigner replied. Mello was about to head out to buy snacks for the evening. Soichiro Yagami was inviting the men from the taskforce over to celebrate the new year. Even Ryuzaki and Watari agreed to come. "Ja ne, Sayu," Mello said as he closed the door.

* * *

Evening had arrived, and so had the taskforce members. Mello went to go answer the door.

"Hey, Mello. Is everything ready?" Light asked as Mello let him and the rest of the taskforce members in.

"Yup. Took Sayu and me some time, but everything's going as planned."

L took off an old pair of shoes and walked around the living room barefoot. "Yagami-san, you have quite an impressive home…"

"Th-thank you, Ryuzaki," Soichiro stammered. "O-oh, right. Let me introduce you to my family." He quickly moved over to the kitchen and called for Sayu and Sachiko to greet their guests. As the females of the family made their appearance, Soichiro presented them. "This is my wife, Sachiko, and my beautiful daughter, Sayu."

"Very nice to finally meet you all! Soichiro is always talking about friends at work!" Sachiko gave them a warm welcome.

Matsuda blushed upon seeing Sayu. Multiple shades of warm colors burst into his head. "S-Sayu! You've gotten so big since I last saw you!"

Sayu giggled. "You must be Matsuda! My dad's told me about you."

Immediately, Matsuda's hopes were dashed. "H-he has, huh…?" Groaning, he turned away and noticed someone who hadn't been introduced yet. The blond orphan from England…

"And, this is Mello. He's spending a few weeks with us," said Soichiro.

Watari gasped. He took L off to the side and whispered something to him. "This…this is a prodigy from the orphanage I set up in England! Mihael Keehl, your runner-up successor!"

L's eyes widened, but his expression remained calm as always.

Sayu went over to Mello and whispered something into his ear. Mello blushed, then nodded, and the two proceeded to go into Sayu's room.

* * *

"Heehee…!" Sayu pinned Mello down on her bed. She bent down and caressed his lips with hers, sliding her arms under his back. His long hair tickled her cheeks. She struggled to keep from laughing.

Mello rubbed her cheeks and gently pushed her face away. "Sayu, I have to tell you something."

Sayu's expression turned serious. "What is it?"

"I think I've fallen for you, Sayu," Mello admitted. "I can't stop thinking about you lately."

Sayu's eyes lit up. "Mellooo~!!" She fell onto him and hugged him as tight as she could.

"I love you, Sayu. You make me want to forget about surpassing Near," Mello told her. "No one's ever been able to do that before."

The two embraced each other and forgot about everything else.

* * *

Downstairs in the family room, the countdown to the new year had begun. Only a few minutes remained until 2007 ended. A slice of cake on his plate, L asked, "Yagami-san, where are Sayu and her friend?"

"…That's a good question," Soichiro said. Roughly half a minute later, Sayu and Mello reappeared, their hair a mess and Sayu's shirt buttoned improperly.

"Oh, there they are," L commented. He walked over to Mello. "Mihael Keehl, is it? I have something I want to tell you."

Mello recoiled. "H-how'd you know my name…?!"

L looked him in the eyes with absolute seriousness. "I am L."

Meanwhile, Matsuda was hitting on Sayu again. "So, Sayu… I hear you're in college now?"

"Yup! It's my first year," she answered.

"S-so how are you doing?"

"Well…certainly not as well as Light was…" Sayu said gloomily.

"B-but Sayu, Light's a genius! No one would expect you to surpass him," Matsuda attempted to console Sayu, not realizing that she was talking about her poor grades, rather than losing to Light.

"Matsuda," Light intervened. "Do you want some coffee?" He asked, holding out a cup.

"NO!" Matsui shouted. "I hate cups of coffee!" He glared at the paper cup.

'…_Oh, right. Matsuda hates cups of coffee, how could I have forgotten that?'_ Light thought to himself as he walked over to L. "Hey Ryuga, do _you_ want this coffee?"

L stared at the coffee. "…Yes, that would be lovely. Uh, where is your sugar, Yagami-kun?"

"Over there," he pointed to a container on the east counter.

"Thank you." He proceeded to drown the coffee in sugar.

Mello went over to Sayu. "Hey, the countdown's about to begin."

"Oh?" She looked over to the clock. "Ah! It is!"

10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1… On the strike of 12, Mello and Sayu kissed, and truly welcomed in the new year. **–End of Story

* * *

**

I'd say the most fitting song from the Death Note OST for this story as a whole would be "Taikutsu", wouldn't you agree? It's one of the songs I would always listen to for inspiration for this fic. Anyway, hope you had your fill! Thanks for reading.


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